Blood Lily
by Blood Zephyr
Summary: Tuzori Sage is a powerful ninja forced to keep secrets from her new team. When a mission goes bad, Neji rescues her but at a devestating price. DISCONTINUED! see inside for details....
1. Character profile

Name: Sage Tuzori aka. "Blood Lily" 

Age: 16

Appearance: Sage is 5'8" tall and weighs 135 pounds, with a slender, athletic build. She has perfect curves and could almost be considered dainty if it weren't for her rugged personality. She has thick black straight hair, parted on the side and the front locks of hair are a blood red color. She has large, dove gray eyes with thick dark lashes. However, when her kekkae gennkei kicks in, her eyes turn frigid blue and the pupils are shaped like small black stars. Her skin is a creamy white with slightly rosy cheeks. Her lips are plump and berry red. She even has a few freckles sprinkled across her nose. Her teeth are perfect and white but she appears to have small fangs, mainly noticeable when she's angry. She always smells like apples and ginger, and is apparently unaware of the effect it has on the male species.

Background: Sage is an arrogant tortured soul, who has been a loner for her entire life. She never knew her parents and lived on the streets of the Hidden Flower Village until she was 10 years old. Fortunately she met a young ninja named Hatake Kakashi, from the Village of Konoha, and he taught and trained her to be a shinobi. Sage was so talented that she could have become a jounin at the age of 12, but Kakashi and the Hokage were concerned that she might become targeted by enemy villages for her bloodline ability. So they decided to keep her at the same level as the other children. However, Sage was aware that she didn't belong with them and this added to her need of privacy and her wish to be left alone. She is an angry, lonely and self-conscious girl, and prefers to avoid relationships of any kind. She hates Sakura because of the obsession with Sasuke; she hates Sasuke because of his attitude (which is not much different from her own) and hates Naruto because no matter what, he doesn't let himself get discouraged. She believes he's too cheerful and seriously needs a reality check. The only person in the entire village that Sage doesn't hate is Kakashi. He's like an older brother to her, but she tries to keep him at arms length so he doesn't find out. Sage fears that anyone who becomes important to her will die.

Abilities: Not only does she have the Kekkae Genkei that allows her to control plant life, and gives her plant-like characteristics (like growing thorns all over her body, ect), but she is also a strong fighter in genjutsu, taijutsu and ninjustu. She also created her own Justus. "Storm of Cherry Blossoms" creates a huge blizzard of cherry blossoms that then turn razor sharp and slice an opponent to shreds. "Poison Ivy Embrace" allows her to wrap up her opponent in vines and either squeeze him to death or inject a deadly toxin into their bloodstream. "Dance of the Moon Lily" makes her hair turn white and she looks like a beautiful pale flower. As the moon eclipses the sun, she starts a mesmerizing dance around her opponent, hypnotizing them and sucking out their chakra. She then finishes them off by stabbing them through the heart with an ivory dagger. Another favorite jutsu is "Curse of the Jade Orchid", where a pattern of orchids are suddenly tattooed on one's skin, and they start to glow green. Then the person is completely transformed into a jade statue. However, Sage is constantly coming up with new Justus so most of them are a complete surprise until she uses them in battle.

Weapon: Sage has a long katana and the handle is made from ivory with intricate patterns of lilies and vines carved into it and inlaid with a jade carving of her name "Sage Tuzori, the Blood Lily". However she is also very well versed in the use of kunai, and various other weapons. Sage is not one to mess with.


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: I should warn those of you who plan to continue reading this fic (and hopefully review it) that the theme is going to be rather angsty. And dark. And horrifying. And tragic. There will be many mature themes and some readers may not appreciate that. I do promise to go about this in a mature and sensible manner, being aware that the themes could be offensive in nature. I want to show that there is a way through the horrors the characters will face and have a "moral of the story" type of thing. Violence will be common and I have often been told that my best stories were the extremely descriptive ones. (This will be noticeable in my next fic). So I apologize in advance if any of my stories make anyone vomit. (Though I'm quite sure most of you have strong stomachs, since you have to deal with so many poorly written and poorly edited fics on such a regular basis lol).

Also please note that I changed the rating to suit the mature themes and violence level. Language wont be much of a problem, but I may end up writing a vague lemon or two for upcoming chapters. Warnings will be givin accordingly.

Part 1

Birds chirped happily as the glowing red sun peeked over the treetops and signaled the new day. Sunlight flickered between the leaves of an enormous willow tree, its branches stretched out over a still pond like stiff fingers, allowing the longer vines to trail over the water's surface, teasing the carp and goldfish swimming lazily about. Basking in the chilled shadows of the ancient tree was a young girl named Sage Tuzori. She was fast asleep, and the birds and squirrels gazed curiously at the strange being.

Suddenly, for a second, the girl's peaceful face changed and an expression of sadness marred her exquisite features. Then it was replaced by peace once again. She lay on her side, curled up in a ball with her bandaged hands tucked comfortably under her cheek, strands of straight black and red hair splayed over her face. She was barefoot and wore a small black halter top with a corset over it, a pair of short black shorts with fishnet stockings covering her legs from the knees up, and black open-toed boots that reached mid calf, were lying abandoned near the trunk of the willow. Flung beside her on the grass was an ornately decorated katana, an over-shirt made only from some black fishnet, and two black & red wristbands. A deep green band with the Leaf Village symbol etched in the metal plate in the center was tied around her waist.

Suddenly, a shadow flickered over Sage's head for a moment before cautiously slipping away. Then just as quickly, a kunai was pressed against the smooth skin of the girl's throat. However, the figure could only blink as a small, delicate hand wrapped around his wrist, and the sleeping girl's left leg shot up, hooking a knee around the back of his neck and flipping him over her body and onto his back with a thud. Sage's other knee was held back against his throat, trapping him in a headlock. His arm was then twisted so the kunai was now pressed to the base of his skull. The subdued ninja chuckled, which wasn't easy considering the young girl was cutting off his air supply. Sage smirked down at her prey and gave him a hard noogie before releasing him. Kakashi Hatake remained on his back, grinning up at her through his mask.

"Yo." Kakashi sighed wistfully. "Well, I suppose there's nothing else I can teach you my dear. No one else your age has ever managed to subdue me like that, especially while still half asleep and by only using taijutsu."

Sage smirked again. "So the student surpassed the teacher, huh Kakashi-kun?"

The older shinobi stood, brushing himself off, and then turned to his student. He sighed again. "I suppose you have, just slightly. But that doesn't mean you can get cocky. And your abilities are still to remain a secret, understand?"

Sage flipped some black hair over her shoulder and glared at the silver haired ninja. "Whatever."

Kakashi frowned. She had shut down again. It happened every time she was ordered to suppress her skills. He knew that the Hokage, as well as several ANBU squads were aware of this young prodigy. She could've been a jounin by now, but it was just too risky. The Sondaime-sama had made it clear that Sage would have to be held back, for her own good of course. Perhaps his announcement would cheer her up a bit.

"Tuzori-chan." The girl scowled at the use of her last name that way. Kakashi only grinned.

"Sarutobi-sama gave me some good news today. Concerning you of course." Kakashi had to bite his lip to keep from blurting it, which was quite out of character for him in the first place. Sage did that to him. She made him human and slightly less perverted.

Sage's face lit up. "You mean I can participate in the Chuunin Exams?"

Kakashi swallowed hard. '_Uh-oh. She's been hoping for that all along, but I don't think Hokage-sama is going to even consider letting her fight a fellow ninja in front of hundreds of people_.' He cleared his throat. "Umm. . . no. I-I mean, I don't know about that. I found out this morning that all the gennin squads are full, so you'll be switching regularly. You'll actually be able to work with each team every few missions. You get a chance to make friends. Isn't that great?"

The small spark in Sage's dove gray eyes fizzled out, and she stared at him. All emotion was wiped instantly from her face, but not before Kakashi had seen the flicker of hurt flash across it. "Oh. That's. . . . great," she replied.

"So tomorrow you'll start with Gay-er. . . _Gai_-sensei." The older ninja smiled encouragingly. It didn't work. Sage stared at him a moment, then turned away.

"Sayonara sensei," she murmured. Then she left, as silent as a shadow. Kakashi watched her leave, feeling like a jerk even though the whole problem technically wasn't his fault.

To be continued...

Please review

Blood Zephyr out.


	3. Chapter 2

A/N: I should warn those of you who plan to continue reading this fic (and hopefully review it) that the theme is going to be rather angsty. And dark. And horrifying. And tragic. There will be many mature themes and some readers may not appreciate that. I do promise to go about this in a mature and sensible manner, being aware that the themes could be offensive in nature. I want to show that there is a way through the horrors the characters will face and have a "moral of the story" type of thing. Violence will be common and I have often been told that my best stories were the extremely descriptive ones. (This will be noticeable in my next fic). So I apologize in advance if any of my stories make anyone vomit. (Though I'm quite sure most of you have strong stomachs, since you have to deal with so many poorly written and poorly edited fics on such a regular basis lol).

You may also notice that I changed the rating. The M rating will not really apply to language, but to the mature themes and content as well as any violence.

Part 2

"Baka-sensei!" Sage was furious, but this entire problem had been ongoing since she first became a Konoha ninja. She was already at jounin level, she knew that much, but now she was going to be stuck on gennin teams and have to feign total incompetence. The thought made her want to break something, mainly a certain jounin's mask-covered nose.

Sage noticed that she was now walking through the busiest streets of the village, and her stomach started its twisting dance of nervousness. She wasn't entirely sure why she hated crowds. She just did. She found the huge number of people pressing up against her made it difficult to breathe. Sage wrapped her arms around her middle and stared at the ground as she walked, letting her hair cover her flushed face. As she turned the corner Sage noticed a strong chakra presence was about to run into her. Glancing up slightly she twisted her body and gracefully sidestepped and spun around the lone figure. She noticed the person was tall and most definitely male with long dark hair.

"Gomen-" she started to whisper.

"Watch where you're going, woman," a low voice hissed.

Sage stopped where she was, annoyed. How dare he! Who did that teme think he was? The Hokage? She snorted indignantly. Sage turned to stare at the rude jerk, her volatile temper flaring.

"On second thought, I'm not sorry, and you're a chauvinistic snob! So why don't _you_ watch it before you get my foot in your pretty-boy face!" Sage hissed right back. The irony in her statement struck her head on as the man turned to face her. _'Neji Hyuuga!?'_

Silver pupil-less eyes regarded Sage with disgust as the Hyuuga's lips twisted in a smirk. Neji stepped toward her until she was forced to tilt her head to meet his gaze.

"Your foot in my 'pretty-boy' face, hmm?" The coldness in his voice could've made it snow in the deserts of Suna. Sage involuntarily shivered, but then forced her stubbornness to take over. She would_ not_ be intimidated by a Hyuuga.

Staring him straight in the eye, Sage snarled right back. "Are you deaf or just chronically stupid? I meant every word. Do you want the footprint to prove it?"

The scene was beginning to draw a lot of attention that Sage didn't want. Neji's eyes narrowed as his anger spiked. "Do you know who I am, you foolish brat?" He snapped. "I happen to be a Hyuuga. You would do well to apologize for your insolence and leave!"

Sage snorted. "Of course I know, baka! And someone from the _lesser_ branch of the Hyuuga clan shouldn't dare lecture me about insolence. You wouldn't be able to touch me anyway!"

The young Hyuuga's pale face suddenly flushed with rage and his eyes glittered dangerously until he noticed the growing crowd. He spun around and was about to leave when he decided to toss out one last barb. "How could an orphaned freak without a clan possibly compare her skills to mine?"

Now it was quite obvious that the young man had no idea of the affect that his remark would have, but Sage didn't care. As soon as he said it, Sage was overcome by rage and hurt. Snarling, she lunged at the teenager and kicked him in the side of the head. Neji was stunned and sent flying against a wall. Sage threw a vicious right hook and sneered when it connected with the boy's jaw. Everyone cringed at the sight and many were stunned at the ferocity of the attack and the fact that Neji hadn't been able to stop it. However several of the people in the crowd were also ninjas and had noticed the incredible speed at which Sage had moved. The fight wasn't finished though.

Sage flew towards the boy who was now slumped against the wall and punched him again, feeling his nose break under her knuckles. "How _dare_ you, you _teme_! I'LL KILL YOU!" Sage screeched, sadistically enjoying the feel of his blood on her fingers. In her blind fit of rage Sage didn't notice the mixture of slight fear and total astonishment that flickered in her victim's eyes, nor did she notice that tears were trickling down her cheeks from the pain in her heart.

Suddenly a pair of strong arms wrapped around her tiny waist and Sage was yanked away from the bleeding ninja. She started fighting against her captor, wanting to pummel the boy until her pain subsided, but then Sage heard a soft voice whispering in her ear.

"Calm down Sage. Everything's ok now. Just calm down," a man murmured soothingly.

Sage felt her body relax and she slumped against the man, tears still stinging her eyes. "Kakashi. . . sensei," she whimpered as she collapsed in her friend's arms.

Kakashi picked her up and continued to comfort her. Neji was watching the exchange and wiped the blood from his sore mouth and nose. Kakashi sent him a chilling glare before turning and walking towards the hospital.

'_What the heck was that all about?'_ Neji wondered as he stared at Hatake's retreating form. He'd never expected the girl to attack like that over one little insult. Her tear-stained face flashed in his memory. _'Why was she crying? I mean, so what if she's an orphan, so are a lot of people in this village. I was only guessing when I said that anyway. '_

Now usually Neji Hyuuga was looked upon as a rookie prodigy and a total genius, but he was a disaster when it came to understanding girls or emotional issues. Unless they were his own of course. Some people would say he could be sort of selfish that way. But if he didn't look out for himself, who would? That was his philosophy, and it worked for him.

'_Man, she's fast. I couldn't even sense her coming. I wonder who she is,'_ he thought. Now that he really considered it, he'd only seen the slender girl around the village a few times. _'I wonder if she goes to the Academy?' _

Then Neji caught himself. Why on earth did he care who she was? She had attacked him and humiliated him in front of all those people. She could die a painful, nightmarish death for all he cared. "Hn," was all he said as he continued down the street, gently rubbing his bruised jaw.

To be continued...

Please review, or I'll send Sage to hunt you down.


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: I should warn those of you who plan to continue reading this fic (and hopefully review it) that the theme is going to be rather angsty. And dark. And horrifying. And tragic. There will be many mature themes and some readers may not appreciate that. I do promise to go about this in a mature and sensible manner, being aware that the themes could be offensive in nature. I want to show that there is a way through the horrors the characters will face and have a "moral of the story" type of thing. Violence will be common and I have often been told that my best stories were the extremely descriptive ones. (This will be noticeable in my next fic). So I apologize in advance if any of my stories make anyone vomit. (Though I'm quite sure most of you have strong stomachs, since you have to deal with so many poorly written and poorly edited fics on such a regular basis lol).

Also please note that I changed the rating to suit the mature themes and violence level. Language wont be much of a problem, but I may end up writing a vague lemon or two for upcoming chapters. Warnings will be givin accordingly.

Part 3

'_What happened? Uh. . . .I feel like I got hit by a runaway wagon and was dragged for miles.'_ Sage groaned as she opened her swollen eyes. When they'd adjusted to the blinding light, she looked around at the boring white room she was in. Thin cotton blankets covered her tired body. _'I must be in the hospital. That's the only place with beds as uncomfortable as this one.'_ Sage groaned again, causing a sleeping figure, in a chair beside the bed, to stir.

"Tuzori-chan?" Kakashi mumbled sleepily. His uncovered eye blinked rapidly and then focused on her. "Ah, you're awake. You've been out of it for about half the day. I was getting a bit worried." He squinted his eye slightly, and Sage could tell he was smiling. "How do you feel?"

"Tired out. I don't really remember what happened though. I remember running into Neji Hyuuga and fighting with him, but that doesn't explain why I'm so tired." Sage sighed and leaned against the pillow, waiting for an explanation.

Kakashi smirked beneath his mask. "You attacked him and your chakra went crazy. You were pretty out of it afterwards."

This got her attention. "What?! I attacked Neji _Hyuuga _?" She closed her eyes and moaned. "I am so _dead_. Did I hurt him bad?"

"No, just a sore head, jaw and a broken nose."

"Just?! That's enough for a death sentence with _him_!" Sage was screeching at this point.

"It wouldn't be a problem if you would learn some self control. That's something very important for shinobi to understand." He paused. "What brought on your little tirade anyway? PMS?"

Sage glared at her annoying friend. "_NO!_ It was- he…he, well…" she let the sentence trail off and frowned as she stared at the wall. Kakashi waited patiently. "He called me an _orphaned freak with no clan_." She heard Kakashi's swift intake of breath and smiled bitterly, knowing that he was recalling the last time someone had broken taboo and called her that. Needless to say, the guy spent quite a while in the hospital after the incident.

Now, it wasn't that Sage was ultra sensitive and couldn't handle an insult. It's just that this particular one invoked some very unwanted memories and emotional stress. Stuff that she had spent years trying to escape from.

Sage's mind was shoved back into the present when she heard someone clearing their throat. "Umm, Sage- uh….I'm not condoning what he did, and I'm not defending him either, but, well….I-I don't think Neji _meant_ to hurt you like that." Kakashi watched his student cautiously, then continued. "No one in this village really knows anything about you, so how could the guy be expected to know what sets you off or hurts your feelings?" He winced as he finished. "M-maybe you could-uh….cut him some slack?"

Sage sighed heavily. "I know he didn't mean it. But Hyuuga's ignorance doesn't make it hurt any less." She turned to Kakashi and grinned. "So when do I meet this _Gay_-sensei I've been hearing about?"

Kakashi blinked at the sudden change of topic, but recovered quickly. "Tomorrow morning, eight o'clock sharp at Training Area 1. If you feel up to it of course," he replied.

"Kakashi!" Sage chided with mock surprise. "You should know me better than _that_!"

To be continued...

Please review...if you do I'll set you up on a date with the character of your choosing...maybe. (LOL)

Blood Zephyr out.


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: I should warn those of you who plan to continue reading this fic (and hopefully review it) that the theme is going to be rather angsty. And dark. And horrifying. And tragic. There will be many mature themes and some readers may not appreciate that. I do promise to go about this in a mature and sensible manner, being aware that the themes could be offensive in nature. I want to show that there is a way through the horrors the characters will face and have a "moral of the story" type of thing. Violence will be common and I have often been told that my best stories were the extremely descriptive ones. (This will be noticeable in my next fic). So I apologize in advance if any of my stories make anyone vomit. (Though I'm quite sure most of you have strong stomachs, since you have to deal with so many poorly written and poorly edited fics on such a regular basis lol).

Also please note that I changed the rating to suit the mature themes and violence level. Language wont be much of a problem, but I may end up writing a vague lemon or two for upcoming chapters. Warnings will be givin accordingly.

Part 4

Sage trudged gloomily down the dirt road the next day, wondering why on earth she was going along with this stupid 'trade-off' plan. She wasn't a very cheerful person to begin with, but the entire idea seemed to sour her mood even further. '_Baka Hokage_,' she thought bitterly. '_This is all his fault, keeping me behind and making me work harder than the other ninjas. I'll show him. No more holding back unless _I _decide to_.'

Soon the 16 year old reached the training area, and could tell that she was running a bit late. Her other teammates had already arrived. '_Great way to start the day_,' she thought sarcastically. As soon as she entered the clearing Sage stopped short to stare at the two strangest looking people she had ever seen.

The first was a teenage boy with the bushiest eyebrows ever created, his hair was shaped like a bowl and he was wearing a green leotard type of running suit. '_Freak_.' The second looked exactly like the first person, except older and weirder, if that was even possible. '_Freak. Or something_.' However, what surprised Sage the most was that these two guys were incredible taijutsu fighters. '_That _must_ be Gay-sensei and Lee_.'

Slightly distracted by them, Sage barely had time to block the kunai that came hurtling toward her head. '_Why am I under attack_?' Glancing to her left Sage noticed a young girl partially hidden in the treeline. She had brown hair pulled into two neat buns, and was wearing a pink blouse and navy capris.

The girl grinned sheepishly. "Sorry 'bout that. I just wanted to see if you were any good." She paused, then introduced herself. "I'm Tenten, and you must be new. I've never seen you around before."

Sage nodded politely. "I'm Tuzori Sage, and I'm not new. Just anti-social." She smirked slightly while Tenten giggled. Then Sage noticed something. "Aren't there supposed to be _four_ of you?" She asked, a bit confused. Before Tenten could reply, an oddly familiar swell of chakra entered the clearing. Sage glanced over her shoulder and her eyes widened in horror. "You?!" she shrieked.

To be continued...

Yes, I'm quite aware that I am evil. cackles wickedly However, I'd like to see you do something about it ;) Anywho, please review. Or I will...tell Lee that you all have a crush on him.

Blood Zephyr out.


	6. Chapter 5

A/N: I should warn those of you who plan to continue reading this fic (and hopefully review it) that the theme is going to be rather angsty. And dark. And horrifying. And tragic. There will be many mature themes and some readers may not appreciate that. I do promise to go about this in a mature and sensible manner, being aware that the themes could be offensive in nature. I want to show that there is a way through the horrors the characters will face and have a "moral of the story" type of thing. Violence will be common and I have often been told that my best stories were the extremely descriptive ones. (This will be noticeable in my next fic). So I apologize in advance if any of my stories make anyone vomit. (Though I'm quite sure most of you have strong stomachs, since you have to deal with so many poorly written and poorly edited fics on such a regular basis lol).

Also please note that I changed the rating to suit the mature themes and violence level. Language wont be much of a problem, but I may end up writing a vague lemon or two for upcoming chapters. Warnings will be givin accordingly.

Part 5

Hyuuga Neji's eyes widened as well, before narrowing in ill-concealed contempt. "What are _you_ doing here, brat?" He snarled. Taking a menacing step forward, the teen's fists clenched as he recalled the last time he had seen this feisty little female.

Sage's jaw dropped and she was staring at Neji, apparently speechless. However, when he suddenly moved forward Sage snapped out of it.

"What, you want to hit me?" She smirked. "Well just try it pretty-boy. Remember last time?" As she spoke her body drifted naturally into a fighting stance. Her feet met at a 90 degree angle, heels touching, and one hand was out in front of her face perpendicular to the ground so she was staring at her palm. The other was fisted back by her hip and was parallel to the dirt. She raised an eyebrow and twisted her lips into another smirk. "Well?"

Neji stared unblinkingly at her and frowned. But before he could move further, a blur of green and black appeared between them.

"Ah! The power of youth is strong in this Beauty!" Gai yelled enthusiastically and grinned at Sage.

Attempting to suppress a twitch, Sage allowed her body to relax. She sent a murderous glare over Gai's shoulder at Neji. He returned it, and Tenten shifted uncomfortably beside them. Both Gai and Lee were in tears and crying things about the power of youth.

"Uh…Gai-sensei, shouldn't we start training?" Tenten murmured. The twin Bushy-brows stopped crying and hugging each other and grinned.

"Ah, Ten-chan," Gai yelled. "The power of youth is strong in you this day! You are correct. We must waste no time if we are to truly understand the beauty of this new-found creature!"

Sage suppressed another twitch at being called a 'creature', and Neji snorted somewhere close by. When everyone was seated in a circle, Gai told them to begin.

"Begin what? Singing Kumbayah?" Sage faked a shudder. "Sorry, but I am so _not_ holding hands with White-Eye over here." Tenten giggled softly at that remark while the Caterpillar Twins stared blankly and Neji sneered.

"Well, freak, if you weren't so stupid you would have known that he meant to start introductions," Neji muttered.

Sage rolled her eyes. "Did it _look_ like I was talking to you, Blind-Bastard? Cuz, in all honesty, I wasn't. My attempt at ignoring you is the only way to prevent causing a _baka_ like you any further bodily harm." Sage paused as she noticed that Neji's handsome face was getting slightly purple. "So, _Whitey-chan_, you wanna go first?"

Neji looked positively murderous and the others just sat there, mouths agape. Apparently they were expecting some bloodshed over the fact that Sage had referred to the powerful Gennin as being a girl.

The tension was broken when Neji spoke. His voice was low and strained, but at least he wasn't yelling. "My name is Hyuuga Neji. I am a Branch member of the Hyuuga clan, and the rookie to beat. I enjoy beating the crap out of mouthy little brats, and training. I dislike said brats, especially the _flea-_male variety, my cousin, my uncle, and the entire main part of the clan. My goal is to destroy the separating factors in our clan so no one will have their futures dictated to them ever again." He glared at Sage. "And I also plan to knock a certain freakish brat down a peg or two."

Sage smirked. "Oh, I'm shaking in my undies, Whitey-_chan_!" She pasted an obviously fake expression of fear on her face. Then it changed to a look of utter hatred. "Though, really, the one shaking in fear…..should be _you_, Whitey-_chan_." With that remark, Sage's eyes flashed a glowing ice blue.

Neji jerked in surprise and his eyes widened. What astonished him the most wasn't the change in eye color however. It was the phenomenal surge of foul chakra that radiated from Sage's body. The murderous rage and bloodlust was almost palpable and it made the small hairs on Neji's body stand on end. He was sure that the others had noticed it too. Tenten was incredibly pale and Lee was shivering and staring at the ground. Gai wasn't unaffected either. He was pale and rather subdued, and was also sweating profusely.

Sage grinned humorlessly and turned her attention to the others. "Well, I guess it's my turn. My name is Tuzori Sage. I'm sixteen and I'm originally from the Hidden Flower Village, but was brought here by Kakashi when I was very young. I enjoy sword fighting or just fighting in general, and sparring with Kakashi. I loath snobbish heathens who think they're better than everyone else just cuz they have a clan…..Oh, and my favorite pastime….." she let her eyes flash blue again and her voice dropped to a low hiss, "is killing people who piss….me….off."

Sage glanced around the group and smirked when she saw their eyes wide with fear and the faces pale. Except Neji of course. He kept his emotions schooled into an impassive expression, but his chakra gave off a slight sense of terror that made Sage deeply satisfied. '_This could be fun_', she thought as introductions quietly ensued.

To be continued...

Well people, so far I have no reviews. Am I hated, or what? Anywho, thanks to those who read and added my story to Alerts, but reviews would be nice to. Do it, or I'll...stop writing. No just kidding...but I wont update as quickly if I dont get the impression that people are liking my fic. Anywho...

Blood Zephyr out.


	7. Author's Note

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**Author's Note:**

To the few of you who actually took the time to read my crappy first FanFic: "Blood Lily"……I am sincerely embarrassed and I apologize profusely. I would let you stone me if I thought it would make this up to you. Not only did I waste your time, but I wasted my own as well. Re-reading the first paragraph was all it took for me to feel absolutely nauseated at the complete sh that spewed onto the screen. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought that a 3rd-world-country 5 year-old had written this. I suppose that at this point in time, epic length fics just aren't my thing. Short stories seem to be the high point in my writing history, so I will continue to produce them.

In all honesty, I'm actually quite frustrated with myself. When I first came up with the idea for Blood Lily, I had high hopes for it. Not to mention, I already had experience in writing stories. I suppose that I just tried too hard, and it ended up ruined.

To make it up to you wonderful, loyal people……I am planning a sequel to my story "Fatal Weakness". It's called "Supernova" and I've included a small preview at the end of this notice. If anyone can message me and tell me why they think I chose this title……you'll get a cookie, huggle and another preview. Perhaps for another "shorty" with some lemon in it. Some pairing suggestions would be greatly appreciated, though there's no guarantee that I'll use any of them ;p

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Preview to Supernova: 

_"__**….Burn and rage at the close of day; rage, rage against the dying **_

_**of the light…." Dylan Thomas **_

_The faces that greeted the emotionally drained ninjas, as they approached the gateway to their home village, wore expressions of sorrow and denial. Kotetsu and Izumo said nothing to the entourage, only gaping in horror as one of their comrades was escorted past, draped in bloodied cloth and followed by an aura of palatable depression. Those few villagers present at such a time of day, murmured amongst themselves, cold and curious eyes fixed upon the bundle being so gently carried between familiar figures._

_The shinobi who were also there, stood in varying degrees of detachment and grief, knowing that one of their own was no longer among the living, and unsure of who it was or what to feel. They soon recognized the Copy Nin among the pathetic huddle of beings, and grew fearful when it became apparent that he wasn't his usual stoic and lazy self. Only something earth-shattering could reap such a reaction from the seasoned jounin. Dread raised the tension of the atmosphere as every living creature waited with baited breath, for the truth to be admitted. _

_Two eyes rose from their inspection of the ground, both belonging to the same being, but each drastically different. Black shone with heartbreak; Scarlet flickered with the promise of vengeance. Both drifted shut as their owner announced, "Uzumaki Naruto….is dead." _

* * *

**Well, there you have it. I'm not quite sure when I'll be finished the story, but it mostly depends on my mood, and the encouragement from my fans. Please review or just message me with your comments. I love hearing from you.**

_- Owari, Blood Zephyr_


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